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Thursday, July 31, 2008

The Worst Congress in American History voted today by a vote of 213 to 212 (with no Republicans voting yes) to go on a five week vacation....without taking up the issue of lifting the ban on offshore drilling.

Dr Evil Reid and Mini Me Pelosi oversee high gas prices they don't have to pay (graphic originally from GasBuddy.com, with some additions)

That means, "Do Nothing" Nancy Pelosi and "Dr Evil" Harry Reid get to go home while many working Americans may have to forego a vacation this year, just to pay for gas to go to work and to pay higher food costs (due to the price of transporting that food to the store). Airlines are going broke, some are laying people off. Meanwhile Nancy flies on her government jet back to her San Francisco mansion, never once having to worry about gasing up or paying money out of her own pocket for airfare.

She might as well say about us working Americans, "Let 'em eat cake!" She's gotta save the Earth.

Closer to home, Congressman Jim "I like to hit people" Moron was recently congratulated by Growth Options for the 21st Century, in an ad published in this week's Fairfax Times.

"Across the country and here in Virginia, our highways are growing more congested, gas prices are going up and consumers are paying more. Thankfully, a few leaders in Washington are working on a solution. Congressman Jim Moron is one of those leaders."

"The Democratic Congress should be held in contempt for voting to skip town without dealing with America’s energy crisis.

“Democrats are out of touch, out of excuses, out of support and out of time. Americans are hurting. Independent polls show they overwhelmingly support House Republicans’ all-of-the-above energy solutions."

What Nancy Pelosi, the miserable 9% approval rating San Francisco failure, needs is to be without a job come November (along with a bunch in her party), then maybe she'll learn how much gas is at the pump (and it ain't $2.50 a gallon either).

“Nobody thinks that Bush or McCain have a real answer for the challenges we face. So what they are going to try to do is make you scared of me,” Obama warned, “You know he's not patriotic enough. He's got a funny name. You know, he doesn't look like all of those other presidents on the dollar bills.”

Translation: They're going to use my skin color against me.

As I pointed out the other day, the only people who are bringing up Obama's skin color are the liberals who support him...and Obama himself. I don't remember Michael Steele, Lynn Swann (ran for Governor of Pennsylvania in 2006) or Condoleezza Rice constantly bringing up their skin color.

I have a newsflash for Barack Hussein Obama. I and many other Americans don't need John McCain to make us afraid of you.

Hillary hated on you, so that bitch is irrelevant, / Jesse talking slick and apologizing for what? if you said it then you meant it how you want it have a gut! /and all you other politicians trying to hate on my man, / watch us win a majority vote in every state on my man / you can’t stop what’s bout to happen, we bout to make history / the first black president is destined and it’s meant to be / the threats ain’t fazing us, the nooses or the jokes / so get off your ass, black people, it’s time to get out and vote! / paint the White House black and I’m sure that’s got ‘em terrified / McCain don’t belong in ANY chair unless he’s paralyzed / Yeah I said it cause Bush is mentally handicapped / Ball up all of his speeches and I throw em like candy wrap / cause what you talking I hear nothing even relevant / and you the worst of all 43 presidents / get out and vote or the end will be near / the world is ready for change because Obama is here! / cause Obama is here / The world is ready for change because Obama is here!

"That's just how white folks will do you. It wasn't merely the cruelty involved; I was learning that black people could be mean and then some. It was a particular brand of arrogance, an obtuseness in otherwise sane people that brought forth our bitter laughter. It was as if whites didn't know they were being cruel in the first place. Or at least thought you were deserving of their scorn. White folks."

"And yet, even as I imagined myself following Malcolm's call, one line in the book stayed with me. He spoke of a wish he'd once had, the wish that the white blood that ran through him, there by an act of violence, might somehow be expunged."

"I ceased to advertise my mother's race at the age of twelve or thirteen, when i began to suspect that by doing do i was ingratiating myself to whites."

“The minority assimilates into the dominant culture, not the other way around. Only white culture should be neutral and objective. Only white culture could be non-racial, willing to adopt the occasional exotic into its ranks. Only white culture had individuals."

"Our rage at the white world needed no object, he seemed to be telling me, no independent confirmation; it could be switched on or off at our pleasure."

"A steady attack on the white race, the constant recitation of black people's brutal experience in the country...Yes the nationalist would say, the whites are responsible for your sorry state, not any inherent flaws in you."

Let me say as a conservative that nothing, absolutely nothing, justifies shooting innocent people because you don't agree with the views of a particular church or organization. This act of violence has nothing to do with conservatism. It has more to do with a nutcase with a chip on his shoulder. Mr. Adkisson should be tried in a court of law, will most likely be found guilty and, if so, should be given the death penalty.

"Who really killed those Unitarians? Was it the preachers who spread hatred and intolerance? The politicians who court and flatter them instead of condemning their hate speech? The media machine that attacks liberals, calls them "traitors" and suggests you speak to them "with a baseball bat"? The economic system that batters people like Jim Adkisson until they snap, then tells them their real enemies are gays and liberals and secular humanists?

If you ask me, it was all of the above.

You killed them, Pat Robertson. You killed them, Pastor Hagee. You killed them, Ann Coulter. You killed them, Dick Morris and Sean Hannity and the rest of you at Fox News."

"It finally happened. Years of demonization and over-the-top comments from Limbaugh and Coulter suggesting the killing of liberals has, indirectly at the very least, resulted in one poor slob loading his 12-gauge and taking the lives of some of those he sought to blame for his lot in life.

...How many more Jim Adkissons are out there, reaching for another shell every time the phrase "kill the liberals" rings in their heads? Impossible to know and not worth worrying about, but worth considering. Be safe, but do not be fearful because fear breeds silence, and our children will judge us harshly if we are silent in the face of the threats to reason."

"...it's not their (Obama or McCain's) job to end the culture war. We all started it. We're all responsible for what we say, write and do that increases hostility towards liberals or conservatives or any group of people whose beliefs differ from ours.

...But there's a whole lotta ugly out there, coming at us from a never-ending parade of stupid. It doesn't need any encouragement."

I'm counting down to when Democrats will hold a press conference and call for hearings into reinstating the so-called "Fairness Doctrine," which is nothing but their way of silencing dissent.

With all that outrage, you'd think that liberals were the most "pure as the wind driven snow" people on the planet.

For starters, I don't really classify Bill O'Reilly as "conservative" or "right-wing." And anybody who sucks up to Chuckie Schumckie Schumer, donates money to "Moonbeam" Jerry Brown, and attacks other conservative radio hosts (as The Savage Weiner has done) is not a real conservative. His act appears more like a satire, playing the liberal's favorite stereotype of a conservative.

I find it fascinating that these liberals and the MSM paid no attention to people like Randi Rhodes, who not just once, but twice made assassination references towards President Bush. There's been movies made, novels written, "artwork," t-shirts, etc, etc about assassinating Bush. Military recruiters have been attacked, recruiting stations vandalized, private property of Iraq War veterans vandalized. Vets have been spit at, their families attacked on film (while liberals rationalized these attacks) and a handicapped fan of Laura Bush was beaten by a 9/11 Denier. On many of these same Democrat websites self-righteously railing about the supposed "conservative" Mr. Adkission, commenters celebrated the recent death of Tony Snow.

Of course, the liberal media turns a blind eye to this well organized machine of liberal hate. I saw no mention by the MSM of that group of anti-American, homophobic inbreds (the Westboro Cult) led by registered Democrat Fred Phelps protesting Tony Snow's funeral. But had Snow been a gay liberal, you can bet your bottom dollar that would be front page group, with the Westboro inbreds being incorrectly labeled as "conservative Christians."

For that, Rush is a historic figure. His influence is just as strong today. Witness the successful "Operation Chaos" this past Spring. Rush's story is an inspirational example of how the American Dream is real and available to everyone. He's remarked how he was fired six or seven times in his early years, each time making less than when he originally started out in the early 1970's as Top 40 DJ Jeff Christie. But Rush had a vision, and when presented with the chance, it came to fruition.

Rush Limbaugh changed my life as well, though it took about four years to come to fruition.

My first exposure to Rush occurred in the Summer of 1992, when I was working at a dead-end job for an appliance repair company in Austin, TX which (deservedly) went out of business. One of the repairmen I rode suggested listening to this show called Rush Limbaugh. Being a big fan of the Canadian rock band Rush, I thought he was referring to them. But he wasn't.

At the time, I had just graduated from a South Texas liberal re-education camp commonly known as an "institution of higher learning." Though my family usually voted Republican and I idolized Ronald Reagan as a teenager, I was not intellectually grounded in conservatism, and began to buy the lies of my liberal professors that Republicans, especially conservatives, were "racists" only "for the rich" and "big business." Needless to say, after receiving this brainwashing for four years, I began a four year flirtation with the dark side. As a result, I didn't care much for Rush and bought all the lies liberals told about him (ie. he's "out of touch" & "only takes calls from people who agree with him").

But the day came four years later when I was confronted in my own personal experience in the working world with what liberalism was all about--redistribution of wealth. I questioned what I had been told by liberals in academia and the media. That's when I turned to Rush with an open mind, listened to (and read) what he said and researched it on my own. I began to see clearly how liberalism was anything but compassionate. It punished success. I also saw for my own eyes what Rush pointed out about the bias of the media for liberals, which has only gotten worse in the last 12 years.

Others have expanded upon my conservative education and have also introduced me to conservative activism, which led me to start this blog. But Rush will always be the bedrock for all of that.

I know from listening to Rush that I'm not the only one whose life he's changed. Many other Americans turned their backs on the lie of liberalism after being confronted with (and verifying for themselves) the truth that Rush broadcasts to America for three hours everyday.

So congratulations to you, Rush, for Twenty Years of Excellence in Broadcasting. Most importantly, I thank you, for helping me see the light.

"Here is some of the perception that you're working against based on the latest NBC News/Wall Street Journal poll about your qualifications to be a commander in chief. Let's share with our viewers now that poll. Knowledge and experience, Senator McCain ahead of you by a factor of more than 2-to-1. Would he be a good commander-in-chief, again, 2-to-1, 53 to 25 percent. And then there is this as well, which is an important question that we asked our audience. "Who's the riskier choice" to be the president with two wars and an economic meltdown going on at home? Senator McCain does much better in that poll than you do. Does that surprise you?"

"....And, and so what that indicates is that the American people are ready for change. But, as I've said before, this is a big leap for people. You know, I don't look like previous commanders in chief."

Clearly, in answering this question, Obama is dealing the race card and, to any American, this type of response should be offensive.

This mindset has been building in the last few months among liberals. Even during the Democrat primaries, the topic of racial bias came up. The Washington ComPost recently wrote an article claiming 3 in 10 Americans have some kind of race bias. In a free local tabloid in the Reston/Herndon area back in May, the Editor and Publisher, Christopher Moore opined if America was ready for a black President under the headline "The Good, and Bad, of America." Moore's liberal shame at America is based on an ignorant racist comment he heard on a bicycle trip in the South 23 years ago. He used that prism to ponder the close election of Virginia Governor L. Douglas Wilder in 1989, when the polls showed him further ahead.

Even politicians have played the race card in this Presidential race. Howard "the Duck" Dean screamed that any criticism of Obama over the Racist Reverend Wright was "race baiting." More recently, New York Governor David Paterson implied that if John McCain were to win this year's Presidential Election, it would be a "victory for racism."

What is this supposed to be? Are Obama and Paterson trying to blackmail Americans into voting for Obama because of race?

While I don't doubt that there may be some who will vote against Obama due to skin color, I think that number will be much smaller than the liberals are making it out to be. A majority of Americans are concerned about the lack of experience (143 days in the Senate) of Obama, his far-Left voting record, his connections to anti-American radicals and racists (Rev. Wright and Fr. Pfleger), his arrogance and (as we saw in Germany) his contempt of our armed forces, especially our wounded.

But if you want to see where the real racism is, it is with Gov. Paterson, the liberal media, those who are voting for Obama specifically because of his race, and Obama himself.

Ever since the Rev. Wright thing broke, I've been convinced that Obama is as much of a stone-hearted racist as any cretin wearing a white hood. How could someone join a church after being inspired by a sermon hearing about "white folks greed runs a world in need" and stay with that "church" for 20 years of hate towards whites and America? Calling his white grandmother a "typical white person" was another red flag. Can you imagine any Republican calling someone a "typical black person" or belonging to a "church" where white supremacy was preached? They'd never receive the free pass that Barack Obama has received.

Here's some of Obama's comments about white people from his book & other sources:

Here's more examples of Obama's racism. Like most Democrats, he used that New Orleans hurricane of 2005 for racial politics, warning of a "quiet riot" among blacks. He also used color as in issue in the races of two black men running for Senate in 2006-Michael Steele in Maryland and Harold Ford Jr. in Tennessee.

Obama campaigned against Steele, telling black voters "not to vote along racial lines" in Maryland. However, when Obama campaigned for Ford in Tennessee, saying "I know that all of you are going to work the next couple of days to make sure it happens, because I'm feeling lonely in Washington."

Why the hypocrisy, Barack? Are black conservatives 3/5ths of a person in the eyes Barack Obama, Harry Belafonte and other liberals? Likewise, where was the outrage from Obama, the Washington ComPost and Christopher Moore when Steele was pelted by white liberals with Oreo cookies in an attack with racial overtones (black on the outside, white in the middle) and depicting him as a minstrel on a blog? These liberals were silent also when white liberal cartoonist Ted Rall called Condoleezza Rice a "house nigga," or when other cartoons with racist overtones were drawn about her.

The only people making Barack Obama's skin color an issue in this campaign (besides him and his wife) are liberals, because, as the Obamessiah stated in his book, it makes up for his limitations.

"...When his plane arrived (also containing Senators Reed and Hagel, but the news has hardly mentioned them), there was a "ramp freeze." This means if you are on the flight line, and not directly involved with the event in question, you stay where you are and don't move. For a combat flight arriving or departing, this takes about ten minutes, and involves the active runway and crossing taxiways only. For Obama's flight, this took 90 minutes, during which time a variety of military missions came grinding to a halt. Obviously, this visit was important, right?

95% of base wanted nothing to do with him. I have met three troops who support him, and literally hundreds who regard him as a buffoon, a charlatan, a hindrance to their mission or a flat out enemy of progress. Even when the rumors were publicly admitted, almost no one left their duty sections to try to see him, unless they were officers whose presence was officially required.

Mister Obama's motorcade drove up from the flight line and entered the dining hall toward the end of lunch time. Diners were chased out and told to make other arrangements for food, in the middle of the duty day.

Now, there are close to 8000 troops on the base and its nearby satellites. No one came up from the Army side (except perhaps a few ranking officers). The airbase resumed operation, once he cleared the flightline, as if nothing had happened. The dining hall holds about 300 people and was not full. The troops did not want to meet him and the feeling was apparently mutual. In attendance, besides the Official Entourage, were the base's senior officers, some support personnel, and a very few carefully vetted supporters who'd made special arrangements. No photos were allowed. No question and answer with the troops. No real acknowledgment that the troops existed.

...I can't imagine any officer of the few he met told him anything other than what they tell the troops, and what their own leadership at the Pentagon tell them—we're winning. Our troops are stomping the guts out of the insurgency. The surge worked and is working. If the insurgents have to divert to Afghanistan, it means they can't fight in Iraq anymore. We should not change the rules and retreat with the enemy on the ropes as we did in Vietnam. We should finish kicking their teeth in. The Iraqi government now controls 10 of 18 provinces, with US assistance in the rest. Let us win the war. 90% of the troops I know, even those opposed to the war, say that is the way to win. Victory comes from winning, not from "change." In fact, the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs is on record as opposing Obama's strategic theory.

Since he obviously knew in advance that's what they'd tell him, and since he didn't care to talk to the troops (we're told by the Left that the troops are horrified, shocked, forced to commit atrocities with tears in their eyes, distraught, burned out, fed up with losing, etc) and find out how they feel, and was barely in country long enough to need a shower and a change of clothes, we can only call this for what it is.

A disgraceful PR stunt, using the troops as a platform for his ego and campaign.

In comparison, I've seen four star generals and the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff on this base. They each held an all ranks call, met with and briefed the personnel, and took questions on every subject from tour length to uniform design to rules of engagement to weapon choice to long term policy, from the newest airmen to the senior NCO with TEN 120-180 day tours since Sep 11. It's very clear they want to know what the troops think, and to keep them informed of events. It's equally clear mister Obama does not.

From here we must move to my op part of the oped.

Obama clearly doesn't care about the troops, doesn't care about America, doesn't care about anything except hearing his own voice and the chance to sit at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue…From where he'll bring us the proven Democratic wartime leadership of Bosnia and the Balkans (US forces still there), Somalia (US forces prevailed despite being ill equipped by executive order, and taking heavy casualties), Haiti (what were we doing there again?), Desert One (oops?), Vietnam (where we snatched defeat from the jaws of victory), Korea (still there), WWI, and the fluke success of WWII won by such wonderful liberal notions as concentration camps for Japanese Americans, nukes, FBI investigations of waitresses who dated soldiers in case they were "morally corrupt" and the (valid) occupation of and continued presence in Italy, Japan and Germany for 60 years, which they are conveniently pretending won't happen with Iraq.

That's not "change." That's "failure we can do without."

I can't add anymore to that, as I think what this serviceman wrote summed up quite well how Obama does not like our military and would be a disaster a President.

More about the Obama snub of visiting wounded military in Germany yesterday. Their story is changing every few minutes. First, it was "inappropriate" because it appeared "political." Next, they blamed the Pentagon. Then, they claimed that Obama's jet (minus the American flag) couldn't land at the Air Force Base.

But could it be that the visit was cancelled because of a tantrum by Obama's foreign policy advisory, Maj. Gen. Scott Gration?

"...Last night NRO reported a confidential source informed them that an Obama staffer had a fit when told they couldn't participate in the visit to Landstuhl:

A very interesting email from a source I must protect suggests that Obama's visit to the Landstuhl Regional Medical Center had the green light until a campaign staffer raised a stink about going with Obama. (There are rules meant to ensure candidates do not use soldiers or military bases for campaign purposes, and they state that personal and committee staff may accompany a sitting senator on a visit but campaign staff may not.) I am told that when one of Obama's campaign staff was told he or she would be denied access, the visit was canceled.

Today, responding to media queries, the Pentagon said they informed Obama that while he could bring a Senate staffer and a security team, he could not bring Gen. Gration and another campaign staffer named Jeff Kiernan.

The Pentagon informed the Obama campaign of the exclusions on Wednesday, even though the trip had been planned at least a week ahead of time. The Obama campaign says he decided to cancel the visit on the flight from Israel to Germany.

The Pentagon told the Los Angeles Times that Obama's campaign plane, dubbed O-Force One by his travelling press corps, was cleared to land at Ramstein AFB and that the press corps and Obama campaign staff would be accommodated in the passenger lounge while Obama visited the wounded at nearby Landstuhl.

This explanation by the Pentagon that Obama's plane would be allowed to land and his staff and press taken care of leaves a big question as to what was so objectionable that Obama cancelled.

It couldn't be the media restriction as some have speculated. Obama visited wounded troops at Walter Reed Army Medical Center last month without the press.He visited troops in Kuwait, Afghanistan and Iraq without the media. The military released official photos of the war zone visits, the only exception being of Obama's visit to a military hospital in the Green Zone in Baghdad.

So that still leaves the question, what brought on the cancellation. The only thing that sticks out is the Pentagon's informing Gen. Gration that he would have to stay in the passenger lounge with the other Obama staffers and the press. Was that too much for that retired general's ego to accept? And did Obama cancel the trip in order to assuage Gration's ego?

And, even more important, is Obama lying to the American people about it?

I'm pretty sure he is lying about it, because (with the media on his side) he thinks he can get away with it.

Thursday, July 24, 2008

Will I wake up tomorrow and this Global Obasm (The Barack Hussein Obama Global Presidency Tour) finally be over? It is frightening the glowing press it has received. From all the MSM stories about it, you'd have thought the second coming of Jesus Christ had just occurred.

How much do you want to bet that certain aspects of this trip will be left out of the MSM's near-masturbatory coverage of the Obamessiah.

1) Obama cancelled a meeting with wounded troops in Germany. According to ABCNews.com (linked from FreeRepublic.com) the visit deemed to be "inappropriate," as the Germany stop was part of his presidential campaign (is Germany the 58th state?). However, Barack found the time to go work out at a gym and joked about exploring the Berlin nightlife.

2.) As happened in Portland, OR a couple of months ago, Obama's speech today came after a free concert given by two popular German groups, reggae artist Patrice and rock band Reamonn, according to NewsBusters.

3.) When Obama did meet with some military in the Middle East, he complained about FOX News being on every TV and asked "Is that the Commander-in-Chief's choice?" (Atlas Shrugs) The implication that President Bush is forcing all military members to watch FOX News. I'm sure Obama is standing in solidarity with Nas and MorOn.org. Well you can bet, if (God forbid) there's an Obama Presidency, there will be no FOX News for the soldiers or any of us to watch (as well as blogs, talk radio, etc).

(BHO) "At the height of the Cold War, my father decided, like so many others in the forgotten corners of the world, that his yearning - his dream - required the freedom and opportunity promised by the West. And so he wrote letter after letter to universities all across America until somebody, somewhere answered his prayer for a better life."

Um no.

Not hardly.

His father’s education had nothing to do with the Cold War, but everything to do with post-colonial African politics.

...(BHO) "The terrorists of September 11th plotted in Hamburg and trained in Kandahar and Karachi before killing thousands from all over the globe on American soil."

While there were a few foreigners among the 3,000 people who were murdered on 9/11, most of the victims were Americans. He left out the part where the hijackers were, like his father, foreign students in the USA. They trained in Florida as well.

Next up:

(BHO) "The poverty and violence in Somalia breeds the terror of tomorrow."

15 of the 19 hijackers were Saudis. None were poor kids from Somalia. Osama bin Laden is the son of a wealthy Saudi contractor.

...Finally:

(BHO) "And despite past differences, this is the moment when the world should support the millions of Iraqis who seek to rebuild their lives, even as we pass responsibility to the Iraqi government and finally bring this war to a close."

Obama wanted to abandon Iraq by March 31, 2008.

I won't hold my breath, but perhaps the constant MSM Obasms this week may create a hangover with the American public that would rival the worst drunk any of us ever suffered.

Protesters have gathered outside Fox News Channel to denounce what they claim is its racist campaign coverage, including a pundit who called Democratic presidential hopeful Barack Obama a terrorist.

The crowd of some 150 people wielded a petition with more than 600,000 signatures objecting to news coverage by Fox, owned by Rupert Murdoch's News Corp, organisers said.

Led by (liberal) activist groups MoveOn.org and ColorOfChange.org, protesters cited incidents on Fox including an on-screen graphic calling Michelle Obama "Obama's baby mama" and a pundit who confused Obama with Osama bin Laden and joked they should both be assassinated. Another anchor called a televised fist bump between Obama and his wife a "terrorist fist jab," they said, and talk show host Bill O'Reilly discussed calling a "lynching party" to deal with Michelle Obama after criticizing her patriotism.

Notice that, just like the other Soro$ funded group, David Crock's Media Matters, these liberals take these incidents out of context to make them appear to be something they're not.

But it gets better. Joining the protest against FOX's alleged racism was (c)rapper Nas, who said:

"Fox poisons this country every time they air racist propaganda and try and call it news."

You want racism, I'll show you racism. Here is Nas pictured below in his culturally sensitive attire.

Those hypocritical Democrats. They never want to give working Americans tax breaks, always demanding we pay our fair share.

Though it would only be a small help, Democrats balked at the idea proposed by John McCain of a gas tax holiday. Never mind that we're paying more while some Democrats, especially those planning the DNC Convention in Denver were paying...well....nothing!

Rocky Mountain News has more on how Democrats on the committee did not pay federal & state taxes for gasing up their vehicles!

The committee hosting the Democratic National Convention has used the city's gas pumps to fill up and apparently avoided paying state and federal fuel taxes.

The practice, which began four months ago, may have ended hours after its disclosure. An aide to Mayor John Hickenlooper released a statement Tuesday evening saying that Denver 2008 Host Committee members would pay market prices for fuel and would also be liable for all applicable taxes.

However, Public Works spokeswoman Christine Downs told City Council members just hours before that host committee members were fueling up at the city pumps. The city does not pay taxes on the fuel for its fleet, and Downs said the host committee would not either.

The disclosure brought immediate scrutiny. Colorado Attorney General John Suthers said the practice "would seem" to be illegal and referred the matter to the state Department of Revenue. Nonprofits, such as the host committee, are subject to state and federal gasoline taxes, according to the Department of Revenue.

The issue arose during the regular weekly meeting of Hickenlooper and City Council members. Downs requested authorization for a contract so the Public Works Department could be reimbursed by the host committee for use of "fueling facilities, fuel and car washes."

Downs said the contract with the host committee started in March and that $9,700 in fuel and services had been purchased from the city so far. But the committee has yet to be billed. The city anticipates $466,125 in total revenues from the contract, Downs said.

City Councilman Charlie Brown raised the question of whether the host committee would be paying fuel taxes, and Downs said it wouldn't.

"There's something there that just doesn't seem right to me because, in a sense, you're saying then that the officials who pass the laws are not willing to live by them," said Councilwoman Jeanne Faatz.

Great point councilwoman! But the Mayor shot back with what appears to be a bit of slander:

"I do know for a fact that they're doing the same exact thing in Minneapolis," Hickenlooper said, referring to the city that along with St. Paul is hosting the Republican National Convention.

But Teresa McFarland, a spokeswoman for the Minneapolis-St. Paul host committee, said its members are getting their gas at public pumps.

"We're not getting a tax break on fuel," she said. "That's not the setup at this end."

No wonder Hickenlooper would make such an accusation against the Republicans in Minneapolis. He's a Democrat! Democrats have proven how they'll tell lie after lie in order to protect their own.

As you know I am not a very political person. I just wanted to pass along that Senator Obama came to Bagram Afghanistan for about an hour on his visit to ' The War Zone' . I wanted to share with you what happened.

He got off the plane and got into a bullet proof vehicle, got to the area to meet with the Major General (2 Star) who is the commander here at Bagram.

As the Soldiers where lined up to shake his hand, he blew them off and didn't say a word as he went into the conference room to meet the General. As he finished, the vehicles took him to the ClamShell (pretty much a big top tent that military personnel can play basketball or work out in with weights) so he could take his publicity pictures playing basketball. He again shunned the opportunity to talk to Soldiers to thank them for their service.

So really he was just here to make a showing for the Americans back home that he is their candidate for President. I think that if you are going to make an effort to come all the way over here you would thank those that are providing the freedom that they are providing for you. I swear we got more thanks from the NBA Basketball Players or the Dallas Cowboy Cheerleaders than from one of the Senators, who wants to be the President of the United States . I just don't understand how anyone would want him to be our Commander-and-Chief. It was almost that he was scared to be around those that provide the freedom for him and our great country.

If this is blunt and to the point I am sorry but I wanted you all to know what kind of caliber of person he really is. What you see in the news is all fake.

In service,

CPT JBagram, Afghanistan

Blackfive says some are challenging the truthfulness of the e-mail, but believes it is accurate and may post another account received.

Though their two choices were good, unfortunately, they missed the right song.

If Katie with the McCain Press Team, whom I talked to in May about blogger conference calls, or anyone else on her team should read this, here is the perfect song for you describing the MSM love affair with Obama. I remember hearing it this time 30 years ago over and over on Top 40 AM radio.

"...is. In 99 percent of the cases, it's a brat who hasn't been told to cut the act out. That's what autism is. They don't have a father around to tell them, 'Don't act like a moron, you'll get nowhere in life. ... Straighten up. Act like a man. Don't sit there crying and screaming, idiot."

The comments were regurgitated to the fax machines of every liberal MSM outlet by David Crock's Media Matters for Liberal America, a George Soro$ funded organization. Naturally, the media only portrays Crock's group as a "media watchdog," ignoring their left of center bias. In the process, autism groups are screaming for Savage/Weiner to be canned and even Hollywood is getting into the act.

Savage/Weiner claims that his comments were "meant to boldly awaken parents and children to the medical community's attempt to label too many children or adults as 'autistic,'" and told the New York Slimes that the 99 percent figure was "hyperbole."

Other signs, such as sensitivity, social skills and late-talking, have been characterized by many as within the autism "spectrum." I know of this first hand, as Mrs. M.I.M. and I are going through this issue currently with our son. We've received this diagnosis from at least one daycare teacher (who left a lot to be desired for the job she did) to others. None have considered this may be because he's entered a strange home or office which he'd never been in before. These opinions conflict with at least one pediatrician who said the possibility of autism was slim, as well as others (including Mrs M.I.M.) who have worked with autistic children in special Ed classes and swear that our son is nothing like them.

Two books by noted economist and brilliant columnist Thomas Sowell have been godsends to us: Late Talking Childrenand The Einstein Syndrome. If you are the parent of a strong-willed, late-talking, marches to his own drummer child whom family, pre-school teachers or others claim is autistic, do yourself a favor and read these books. Mrs. M.I.M. found these two books and we were floored at how the characteristics of the children were like that of our son. These late-talking children had a strong will, cases of delayed toilet training but affectionate with an aptitude towards art, puzzles and even computers at an early age. Several of these late-talkers who are now adults work highly analytical fields. Sowell's son is one (a computer programmer) plus his colleague (and another great columnist) Walter E. Williams is an economist at nearby George Mason University. Several of these children, as well as other historical figures, showed signs that could have been misdiagnosed as being within the autism spectrum, idiot savants or mentally retarded. Sowell noted that one "expert" even claimed Bill Gates was autistic. But try telling this to a school district evaluator.

While there is such a disease as "autism," I do believe that it has become the "disorder de jour." In all the stories on the outrage at Savage, why is there no balance? Why is there no indication that many children are indeed misdiagnosed? On VH-1 recently, I've seen ads about autism awareness from aging classic rockers who must have been rejects as Viagra spokesmen. Politicians, such as Clinton and Obama, have caught onto the autism buzzword, promising billions of taxpayer dollars for autism if they were elected President. Besides the drug companies (as Savage/Weiner rightly pointed out) who are looking to push drugs onto children, the money issue involves local school districts, who have special ed classes to fund. How many children are given a wrong diagnosis by a school district bureaucrat and put into a special ed class, only to come out dumbed down and regressed in growth? It's all because of funding.

Savage/Weiner could it have been made his point differently. But because he's addicted to controversy, his comments not only harm those who rightly point out how autism is misdiagnosed, but also our right to free expression. I'm talking about the outrage ginned up by phony "watchdogs" like David Crock, who aim to end conservative media as we know it by labeling it "hate speech." This is nothing but sugar-coated fascism practiced by the Left, with Crock and Soro$ pulling the strings, taking comments of various other hosts (Bill Bennett, KSFO Morning Show, Rush Limbaugh) out of context. But note how Crock is silent when it comes to the venomous hate of the Left, as Daily Kos displayed at the death of Tony Snow, or Randi Rhodes suggestions of assassinating President Bush a la Fredo Corleone.

It's interesting how Savage/Weiner has now become like a man he idolizes, Sen. Joe McCarthy, someone who made a valid point, but did it the wrong way. Still, that does not justify the witch hunters like Media Matters and their jihad against conservative media. Getting rid of him would be their first step. Tomorrow, it may be another host or blogs like this one. If you don't like or grow tired Savage, do what I did and turn the dial. Don't feed his addiction to controversy and he'll whither on the vine.

Obama’s organization is leaving nothing to chance. As of Monday flyers are being passed out near Berlin’s Zoo that read “Posters & banners not allowed.” For security reasons visitors should not take purses or backpacks.

The latter will put off Germans. How are people supposed to stand out there for hours with no water and no worldly possessions? Or is someone making a killing on selling Kool Aid? Anyway, the headline is a hopeful sign that at least some of the German press see through Obama’s “security demands”.

That would be, no criticism of the Obamessiah is allowed.

On another subject, even though Obama has worn the American flag lapel lately, Old Glory has disappeared from the tail of his campaign plane, according to Aaron Klein of World Net Daily.

As part of a month-long aircraft makeover, a painted American flag was removed from the tail of Sen. Barack Obama's official campaign airplane and was replaced with the presidential candidate's trademark "O" symbol.

The refurbished 757 was unveiled to members of the press today, 41 of whom boarded the craft and took off to meet Obama in Amman, Jordan, where the presidential candidate will stop as part of a Middle Eastern and European tour.

Here's two shots of the Obama jet before the new paint job.

(jamd.com) The campaign plane of Democratic presidential hopeful Hillary Clinton (D-NY) (R) sits parked behind the campaign plane of Sen. Barack Obama (D-IL) (L) at Indianapolis International Airport, May 6, 2008 in Indianapolis, Indiana. US Sen. Hillary Clinton and US Sen. Barack Obama (D-IL) are each hoping to win the primaries today in North Carolina and Indiana as the Democrats battle for their parties' presidential nomination before the National Convention in August. (Photo by Mark Wilson/Getty Images)

Question--Did Michelle my Belle have a hand in the new design, since she's so ashamed of her country? Or, it is Barack's definition of "patriotism," you know, not wrapping yourself in the flag? It's no surprise, either, that this new paint job (minus the flag) appears while he's overseas.

He may be wearing his lapel again to play to the undecided, but don't be fooled by the Obamedia (NBC, SeeBS, ABC, CNN, New York Slimes, Washington ComPost), he hasn't changed. He still has nothing but contempt for this nation.

A friend of a friend produced this video, one of the best I’ve seen when it comes to documenting the anti-Americanism of the radical left. Complete with an upside down flag, spitting on an Iraq War veteran and calling him a rapist, it’s sure to make your blood boil. Good gosh, can we please rid our country of this kind of human garbage?

You know, the Left would like to turn almost anything now into a hate crime. Do you think we could get the Dems in Congress to include U.S. servicemen and women in their next piece of hate crime legislation?

Imagine if some right-of-center folks had spat all over a LGBT parade.

I’d think we’d see a huge cry of intolerance and bigotry from the Left. Why should it be any different when these maggots verbally and physically attack our troops in our own country, whether they are in uniform or not?

Show this video to your liberal friends the next time they tell you they "support the troops, but not the mission" to show how full of crap they really are.

Thursday, July 17, 2008

Barack Hussein Obama is showing once again why he is an empty suit, not-ready-for prime time player. Today he went after Sean Hannity, FOX News and National Review for criticism of his wife (ABC News).

Asked whether he blamed Sen. John McCain's campaign for the attacks, Obama said, "I wouldn't say the McCain campaign itself, but I would say that the apparatus of conservative columnists, blogs and the like. Talk shows, talk radio....When you see in the span of two or three or four weeks essentially the same talking points being used on a whole variety of shows or a whole variety of columns, over and over again."

"...It's infuriating, but it's not surprising," Obama said, "because let's face it: what happened was that the conservative press -- Fox News and the National Review and columnists of every ilk -- went fairly deliberately at her in a pretty systematic way, and treated her as the candidate in a way that you just rarely see the Democrats try to do against Republicans."

As Sgt. Hulka said "Lighten up, Francis!" It's not like Michelle Obama was just minding her own business and all of a sudden, became the focus of conservative attacks. Do I recall that Michelle said that her husband's candidacy was the first time she had been proud of her country? She also said the following:

Obama begins with a broad assessment of life in America in 2008, and life is not good: we’re a divided country, we’re a country that is “just downright mean,” we are “guided by fear,” we’re a nation of cynics, sloths, and complacents. “We have become a nation of struggling folks who are barely making it every day,” she said, as heads bobbed in the pews. “Folks are just jammed up, and it’s gotten worse over my lifetime. And, doggone it, I’m young. Forty-four!”

I haven't even mentioned her thesis, where she exhibited militant racism. And that rumor about that phony "Whitey" tape was started by a Democrat Clinton supporter. Can you imagine if Cindy McCain had written a similar essay, with the races reversed, or if rumors appeared that she'd called someone a "nigger?" The media would have a frenzy and I'm sure Obama (despite his statements he wouldn't) would pile on.

Sorry Barack, Michelle made herself an issue by her divisive statements. So live with it. If you don't want her to be criticized, it's simple, don't have her campaign for you.

Can someone inform Waxman that the real leaker of this supposed "covert" agent was none other than Richard Armitage, who told CBS, "Oh I feel terrible. Every day, I think I let down the president. I let down the Secretary of State. I let down my department, my family and I also let down Mr. and Mrs. Wilson."

But notice these Democrats aren't up in arms of the New York Slimes leaking classified information, as well as leaking the CIA agent who interrogated the mastermind of the 9/11 attacks. No investigations, no special prosecutors, nothing.

"The leftist online publication Peace and Resistance, in an article published January 1, said that Rep. Waxman had written a letter addressed to the American ambassador in Amman, Jordan to help ease transit through Customs of $600,000 worth of medical supplies and cash collected by the anti-American groups Code Pink and Global Exchange. According to the groups' leader, Medea Benjamin, the aid is destined for the "other side" in Fallujah.

The letter was being carried by Fernando Suarez Del Solar, an antiwar activist whose Marine son, 20-year-old Jesus A Suarez del Solar Novaro, was killed in Iraq on March 27, 2003 when he reportedly stepped on an American cluster bomb fragment.

...One Iraqi, when informed that parents of American soldiers killed while liberating his country were giving aid to the "other side" in Fallujah, asked, "what kind of people would help those killing their own sons and daughters?"

Liberal Democrats like Henry Waxman, who have a political vendetta against this President, that's who.

Tuesday, July 15, 2008

More disturbing news coming from the controversial Islamic Saudi Academy in Fairfax County, VA, as the Washington ComPost actually did something called "journalism" (Review Finds Slurs In '06 Saudi Texts).

A Saudi-funded academy in Fairfax County used textbooks as recently as 2006 that compared Jews and Christians to apes and pigs, told eighth-graders that these groups are "the enemies of the believers" and diagrammed for high school students where to cut off the hands and feet of thieves, a Washington Post review of the books has found.

...A sampling of 2006-07 Islamic studies textbooks showed that much of the controversial material had been removed. At least one book still contained passages that extolled jihad and martyrdom, called for victory over one's enemies and said the killing of adulterers and apostates was "justified."

Remember, Fairfax County Board of Supervisors unanimously voted in May to renew the one year lease for the academy and Board Chairman Gerry Connolly (currently the Democrat nominee for Northern VA's District 11 House Seat) arrogantly accused those concerned about the academy's teachings of bigotry.

Immediately afterwards, the US Committee on International Religious Freedom issued a report proving some text contained violent, extremist material. In June, the director of the Academy was arrested for obstruction of justice in a child abuse case.

Connolly has not apologized for his slander of those who protested renewing the academy lease. Instead of taking action after these matters came to light, he punted the matter to the State Department asking them to decide whether or not the county should continue the lease. After all, Gerry Connolly is more concerned about winning a House Seat instead of being a leader.

The ComPost article quotes Fairfax spokeswoman Merni Fitzgerald as saying the lease was renewed because, "there seemed no reason not to. ...We're looking at this as a land use case. We're not capable of determining whether textbooks contain language that promotes violence."

That's ridiculous! Why is the county not "capable of determining" what's in the textbooks? It appears that Fairfax County Government is not really interested in the contents because the county is more interested in "tolerance" and "diversity." That's what Connolly said after he slandered those who brought up legitimate concerns about the academy.

One student, a 1999 valedictorian, has been imprisoned for a plot to assassinate President Bush and now a sexual abuse case was covered up. You call that "diversity?" What else is going on at this school? What will it take for the government of Fairfax County to awake from their stupor and take some action?

Monday, July 14, 2008

Barack Hussein Obama wrote the following in the September 19, 2001 edition of the Hyde Park Herald, as revealed by The New Yorker (from Sweetness & Light).

"Even as I hope for some measure of peace and comfort to the bereaved families, I must also hope that we as a nation draw some measure of wisdom from this tragedy. Certain immediate lessons are clear, and we must act upon those lessons decisively. We need to step up security at our airports. We must reexamine the effectiveness of our intelligence networks. And we must be resolute in identifying the perpetrators of these heinous acts and dismantling their organizations of destruction.

We must also engage, however, in the more difficult task of understanding the sources of such madness. The essence of this tragedy, it seems to me, derives from a fundamental absence of empathy on the part of the attackers: an inability to imagine, or connect with, the humanity and suffering of others. Such a failure of empathy, such numbness to the pain of a child or the desperation of a parent, is not innate; nor, history tells us, is it unique to a particular culture, religion, or ethnicity. It may find expression in a particular brand of violence, and may be channeled by particular demagogues or fanatics. Most often, though, it grows out of a climate of poverty and ignorance, helplessness and despair.

We will have to make sure, despite our rage, that any U.S. military action takes into account the lives of innocent civilians abroad. We will have to be unwavering in opposing bigotry or discrimination directed against neighbors and friends of Middle Eastern descent. Finally, we will have to devote far more attention to the monumental task of raising the hopes and prospects of embittered children across the globe—children not just in the Middle East, but also in Africa, Asia, Latin America, Eastern Europe and within our own shores.

Notice the difference in how liberals and Obama saw 9/11? Instead of it being an "attack" it was a "tragedy." Furthermore, who's the one being ignorant here? Did Obama forget (as Charles at LGF eloquently stated) that:

"Osama bin Laden came from one of the richest families in the world. None of the 9/11 attackers were poor; if anything, they could be considered “middle class.” Ringleader Mohammed Atta was educated as an architect in the West."

"In the 21st century, white America got a wake-up call after 9/11/01. White America and the Western world came to realize that people of color had not gone away, faded into the woodwork or just “disappeared” as the Great White West kept on its merry way of ignoring Black concerns."

And (I echo others who've said the same) this person, who clearly does not understand the threat of radical Islam, is in the running to be President of the United States?

Those sick bastards from the Westboro Inbred Cult (I won't call them a "church") are at it again, they're planning to protest at Tony Snow's funeral this Thursday morning in Alexandria, VA.

Ms. Underestimated has more. I will not link to their garbage, especially after already posting enough examples of liberal venom from Daily Kos & the Washington ComPost on Saturday.

As a note, the founder of this cult, Fred Phelps, is a Democrat who wan unsuccessfully for the Democrat nomination for Kansas Governor three times and supported Algore for President in 1988. The late Rev. Jerry Falwell said of Phelps and cult, when they picketed the funeral of Matthew Shepard (murdered for being gay), "I found it almost impossible to believe that human beings could be so brutal and vicious to a hurting family...He's (Phelps) a first-class nut." Phelps has been defended in being restricted from protesting at soldiers funerals by....none other than the ACLU. I guess they (and the Daily Kos kooks) found a "church" where they could worship.

Here's to the hope that the Patriot Riders or some other groups will be out to hide these scum from Snow's family. The last thing they and especially his children need is to be subjected to this garbage from these subhumans.

President Bush showed leadership today and lifted the ban on offshore drilling. Contrast Bush's leadership with the Democrat led Congress, who are busy twiddling their thumbs and (as usual) doing nothing.

President Bush will lift an executive ban on offshore oil drilling, although new oil exploration on the Outer Continental Shelf will remain off limits until Congress also takes action.

The president will make a Rose Garden statement on Monday, where he is expected to announce his lifting of the ban.

White House press secretary Dana Perino says Bush is acting now in hopes of spurring Congress to act. So far, lawmakers have shown no interest in doing so.

Bush and a growing number of lawmakers have been calling for broader options in dealing with rising energy costs, including $4 per gallon gasoline.

The Outer Continental Shelf has been a particularly hot debate, with the Bush administration saying new drilling technology would make U.S. shores safe from environmental disaster while helping to drive down prices with greater supplies.

Great move, Mr. President! Now I would sign another executive order allowing for more refineries and even the conversion of retired military bases into refineries.

As I mentioned the other day, this doesn't affect just you and I, it also affects cities, towns, counties and others. This oil issue is becoming a national emergency issue. How many budgets for police, fire, ambulance and even public transportation services will increase due to high gas prices? Will necessary public safety officials be laid off because these agencies cannot afford their services?

Republicans still need to beat this issue like a drum, because it illustrates the lack of leadership of the "Do Nothing" Democrat majority, who are more interested in winning elections off manipulating the public pain their policies create than in solving problems.

Something to think about this November at the polls (image found on FreeRepublic.com).

In cooperation with Soldiers' Angels, Epiphone Guitar announced is support of the program with a donation of new Epiphone acoustic guitars to wounded guitar-playing service members as part of a "Freedom Celebration" at the Brooke Army Medical Center on July 5th in San Antonio, TX. In addition, Angels & Airwaves and the Van Warped Tour will create a party that will live on in memories of wounded service members and their families as they recover.

A picnic for approximately 1200 wounded soldiers and their families, held in the Fisher Houses "Quad" area and hosted by Soldiers' Angels, will form the core of the Freedom Celebration. The band Angels and Airwaves will showcase their acoustic abilities, and there will be a variety of activities especially for children.

...Freedom Celebration's highlight will be the awarding of Epiphone acoustic guitars to wounded service members, and a single guitar will be presented to each of the seven local Fisher Houses at Brooke to be used to further the programs that enrich wounded military member's live through the making of music.

The husband of Soldiers' Angels founder (and winner of America's Favorite Mom, M.I.M) Patty Patton-Bader, Jeff Bader, is proud to be participating in Freedom Celebration and points out the therapeutic value of Epiphone's gift. "I am honored to be involved in the whole event," says Bader, "but since I am also a guitar player, this new program and the gifts to our service members are something very special to me. Music truly has a healing power, and guitar-playing soldiers who have suffered from Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) have improved their memory capabilities by remembering the songs they used to play."

Kudos to Epiphone Guitars for showing their support of our military and especially those who've been wounded.

Sunday, July 13, 2008

Since the 9% approval rating Congress of "Do Nothing" Nancy Pelosi has taken a vacation from common sense and refuses to allow domestic oil drilling, at least one state legislature is showing leadership where Pelosi won't.

Good news today from Virginia on offshore drilling. HB6006, a bill that would allow vital oil and natural gas exploration off the Virginia coastline, passed the House of Delegates by 56 to 39.

The bill would also use the revenue from the offshore drilling to help pay for Virginia's transportation needs. With Congress refusing to take action to drill here and drill now, it's nice to see the states take some initiative.Delegate Chris Saxman, the bill's author, said this in a press release:

“Though federal officials will ultimately decide whether to lift the ban on offshore drilling, it is important for Virginia, possessing potentially significant offshore resources, to prepare for that possibility now. By passing House Bill 6006, the Virginia General Assembly can send a strong message to Congress that we are ready to act.”

The VA General Assembly is majority Republican. The Senate is majority Democrat by two seats. Also, there's pressure which will have to be placed on liberal Governor Tim Kaine, who recently had the lamebrain idea to raise the gas tax here to pay for Virginia roads. How dumb can one be? Raise gas taxes when the price is over $4.00. The idea to use revenue from offshore drilling for Virginia roads is a good one, much better than the insane idea of endless tax increases Democrats always propose.

If enough pressure could be placed on the Senate, Virginia may be an example of how the people can go around the Democrat obstructionism to lower energy prices and energy independence.

Saturday, July 12, 2008

I hate to bring this up, especially since it hasn't been 24 hours since Tony Snow's death, but it shows how fast the Left is to spew hateful glee at the death of another human being, simply because they're conservative. That is what many of the liberals at DailyKos are already doing, posting hateful messages over the death of Tony Snow.Here's a sample of the hate shown by the Kos posters. (warning--have vomit bag nearby)

I haven't had a chance to look at DemonRAT Underground (and after this, I really don't care to), but I'll bet the reaction is much of the same there.

You liberals always love to rail against "hate speech" and self-righteously brag about how full of compassion you all are. This thread and so many others like it in the past shows how full of bovine excrement you all are. Hate is a job the Left practices like an art, 24/7.

Unfortunately, the passing of a great man gives the Left an opportunity to remind us how vicious and hateful they are.

Self-restraint and self-control is not a characteristic of a liberal, neither is respect or class.

I swear some of you weak-kneed progessive brethren of mine have no clue about the vicious nature of the ideological battle we are in. When a bad guy dies, we should rejoice, not sing his praises of wish him anything by scorn.

...So now he's dead. I said "good riddance" and hell, some of your are falling over each other to condem me for it...

But you know what? I DON'T GIVE A FUCK what you think of my "heartless" comments, because what i see is a parade of soppy condolensces for a co-criminal that far outpaces and far outnumber any conversations about the death of our own innocent citizen soldiers nor the hundreds of thousands of innocent Iraqis.

Well, liquidstoke, it's too bad you and your fellow Kosers (just like Kos founder Markos "Screw Them All" Moulitass) publicly pride yourself in being the vicious, hateful assholes you show yourselves to be.

UPDATE II (4:15 p.m.) So no one can say it's only the "lunatic fringe" website, apparently, the Kos Style hate is allowed to exist over at theWashington ComPost website:

Here he is pictured above during his stint as White House Press Secretary, a post he held for 17 months. Before that, he had a syndicated radio show on FOX Radio and was host of FOX News Sunday, as well as a fill-in host for Rush Limbaugh (where I and many other first heard him).

For those who attended CPAC in DC this past February, they were treated to a great conference ending speech by Tony. He appeared to be in good health and was energetic during his talk. He was inspiring to listen to and it was a great way to end the conference.

Some both inside and outside the Beltway knew that Tony also had an avocation as a musician. He played guitar, saxophone and flute in a classic rock band named Beats Workin'. Here he is pictured below strumming his Fender Stratocaster.

Tony is survived by his wife Jill, son Robbie and two daughters, Kendell & Christie.